Cardiff vs Crystal Palace
Premier League 2018-19
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Date: Saturday, May 4, 2019
Kick-off: 5:30pm BST
Cardiff will be in the last-chance saloon as far as their Premier League survival chances are concerned when they host Crystal Palace in front of the television cameras on Saturday evening desperately needing to win.
A victory over Brighton coupled with the Seagulls' dismal form had raised hopes of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship for Neil Warnock's side, only for their chances of staying up to be dealt a significant blow with a narrow defeat at already-relegated Fulham last weekend.
That result - coupled with Brighton's draw with Newcastle - means 18th-place Cardiff sit four points adrift of safety and will see demotion confirmed if they do not better Brighton's result at Arsenal. That latter game takes place on Sunday.
Looking to seal the Bluebirds' fate and inadvertently aid their rivals in the process is a Crystal Palace team who currently sit 12th after following a memorable win at Arsenal with a goalless draw at home to Everton.
Roy Hodgson's men secured their own safety with three matches to spare and will already have one eye on planning for next season.
Cardiff vs Crystal Palace team news and predicted line-ups
Warnock does not believe Harry Arter will be fit for Saturday, with the Republic of Ireland midfielder struggling with a calf muscle strain.
Kenneth Zohore and Aron Gunnarsson are doubts, while Joe Ralls, Callum Paterson, Sol Bamba and Matt Connolly are all long-term absentees.
Cardiff XI: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Gunnarsson, Bacuna, Camarasa, Hoilett, Mendez-Laing, Niasse
Crystal Palace will be without Christian Benteke, who took a blow to the cheekbone during an accidental collision with Michael Keane in the draw with Everton and has not trained all week.
The Belgian striker could return for a final-day meeting with Bournemouth, but Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins and Jeffrey Schlupp are all out for the season.
Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Dann, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Milivojevic, Kouyate, Townsend, Zaha, Batshuayi
Score prediction: Cardiff 1-1 Crystal Palace
With the second worst home record in the league, Crystal Palace's season has been built on their impressive away form.
The Eagles have won eight of their 18 road matches so far this term and have plenty of speed in wide areas to prove devastating on the break.
A win might well not be enough to save Cardiff given that they have to go to Old Trafford on the final day, while a draw - which seems a likely outcome - would all but relegate them even if Brighton lose due to a vastly inferior goal difference.
Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change
Match odds
- Cardiff to win: 13/8
- Draw: 27/10
- Crystal Palace to win: 7/4
First goalscorer odds
- Bobby Reid: 11/2
- Michy Batshuayi: 6/1
- Wilfried Zaha: 13/2
- Oumar Niasse: 13/2
- Kenneth Zohore: 13/2
Click here to find the latest match odds and place a bet.
Cardiff vs Crystal Palace tickets
For information on Cardiff tickets for this fixture, click here.
Click here for Crystal Palace ticket latest.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Cardiff have yet to beat or even score against Crystal Palace in a Premier League fixture, with the Eagles comfortably winning both matches during the 2013-14 campaign before a goalless draw at Selhurst Park on Boxing Day.
TV channel and live stream, and online coverage
The match will be televised live on BT Sport 1, with coverage starting at 5:00pm BST.
BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.
